Journal of Environmental Biology

Prevalence of plasmid mediated pesticide resistant

bacterial assemblages in crop fields

 

S. Umamaheswari* and M. Murali

 

Faculty of P.G and Research Department of Zoology, Periyar EVR College, Tiruchirappalli - 620 023, India

 

(Received: July 11, 2009; Revised received: December 05, 2009; Re-revised received: February 02, 2010; Accepted: February 26, 2010)

 

Abstract: Three crop fields namely, paddy, sugarcane and tomato exposed to bavistin [Methyl (1H-benzimidazol-2-yl) carbomate], monocrotophos [Dimethyl (E)-1-methyl-2-(methyl-carbamoyl) vinyl phosphate] and kinado plus [(EZ)-2-chloro-3-dimethoxyphosphinoyloxy-X1, X1-diethylbut-2-enamide], respectively were chosen for the present investigation to know the bacterial population and degradation of pesticides. The chemical nature of the soil and water samples from the pesticide contaminated fields was analysed along with counting of the total heterotrophic bacteria (THB), Staphylococci and Enterococcci population. Mean calcium, phosphate and biological oxygen demand were maximum in tomato field water. Field water recorded maximum phophate and silicate content, whereas, sugarcane field water elicited maximum dissolved oxygen content. On the other hand, available phosphate and exchangeable potassium were maximum is sugarcane field soil. Significant variations in the bacterial population were evident between the treatments in sugarcane field soil and tomato field water exposed to monocrotophos and kinado plus, respectively. In addition, significant variations between THB, Staphlyococci and Enterococci population were also evinced in both the sugarcane and tomato fields. The dominant pesticide resistant bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeuroginosa harboured plasmids and the resistant trait observed were found to be plasmid borne.

Key words: Crop fields, Pesticide resistant bacteria, Kinadoplus, Bavistin, Moncrotophos, Plasmid

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